Tailwind
by SE46 Mantis
Summary: Sometimes she wonders if she's good enough for a queen. Airplaneshipping (Skyla x Elesa)


There's a certain discrepancy in their relationship, if you step back to look at it.

Let's compare; Elesa is the Queen of Nimbasa, a Gym Leader and supermodel of exceptional style and grace. When she walks, it's with the poise of a confident and glamorous star strutting around her shining catwalk. When she talks, it's with the sophistication and easy-going elegance of nobility. She's as beautiful as she is electrifying, skilled as she is compassionate and she makes dreams come true with but a change of clothes and a strut down her walkway.

As she has always said, the vision of 'cool' comes with the reality she shows it as.

All of Nimbasa hails to their queen. They adore her, they respect her and they want nothing more than to be like her. She may as well hold the city in the palm of her hand, the way her subject genuflect to her, the way every attraction and amusement in the city is open to her. People from all over the region, from other regions, flock for even the slightest glimpse of Elesa, for a taste in her beauty, her fashion, her battling skills. Children idolise her, adults idolise her, no doubt the lord of electricity Zekrom itself would hold her in high regard.

She lives up to her mantle, certainly; the Shining Beauty! Dazzling and wondrous, like a goddess of light come to shine her elegance upon the world! Truly, there was no-one quite like Elesa.

Skyla is not quite like Elesa. Her element is in the air, not the land, and while her piloting skills were exceptional, she wasn't quite as poised down on the ground. She doesn't walk nearly as neatly as Elesa; she's more bouncy and wobbly than graceful. She talks more like an excited child than a dignified matriarch. They look to her for what her plane delivers, not for her statuesque poise or unfailing confidence or dazzling beauty.

She's not a queen. She's the delivery girl. Milstralton adores her, sure, and she is a respectable Gym Leader and certainly a respectable pilot, but she doesn't command nearly as much respect as Elesa does. People the region over praise Elesa's name with reverence, and they speak Skyla's name with common simplicity. It's just the way it is; if Elesa was a goddess, then Skyla is but her simple little angel, a mere herald for something greater.

Skyla would like to think it doesn't get to her. But some days it does. Days when she's walking with Elesa throughout a city, and people will ooh and aah at the model like she's the greatest thing they've ever seen, and yet they'll barely cast her anything but a bemused look, as if they wonder how someone like her was ever fit to walk by the queen's side.

Days when tabloids come out from the paparazzi eternally hounding the supermodel, and they'll offer not-so-subtle snide comments referring to the flawless model's day with the less-than-stellar looking pilot, how the Queen of Nimbasa is spotted with a common bird flapping after her, how Elesa seems awfully fond of granting false hope to a gullible girl.

Comments like those hurt the most, the idea that she's but nothing more than a peasant lost in the wake of a queen, eternally the lesser and never capable of proving herself as anywhere near as respectable as her. She's a Gym Leader as well, a great pilot, a kind and caring girl. Is that not enough just to avoid being judged so harshly? To not be seen as just some sad clown dancing in the queen's shadow?

And days when Elesa wants to treat her. Oh, days when Elesa wants to treat her. In Nimbasa, Elesa will lead Skyla throughout the whole city, treating her to near every sight in the entire place; the Musical, watching the delightful Pokemon dancing in their adorable outfits! The sports arenas, getting pumped up over who has the ball, who's hitting who, all that jazz (Elesa has to hold her back when she starts screaming profanities at the ref). The fairground, racing around on rollercoasters (until Elesa is on the verge of vomiting), relaxing in the Ferris wheel, checking out stalls and vending machine and sweet shops (Elesa teasingly waves chocolates before her, daring her to try and nab them before she eats them). The battle subway, seeing the trainer's faces light up in awe and amazement at the honour of challenging two Gym Leaders.

Days like those, she wishes they'd last forever, and yet it's a bittersweet fun; she loves spending time with Elesa, loves to see her smile and laugh and have enjoy herself. She loves the music, the sports, the fairground, all of it, she really does! But at the end of the day, it hits her that she feels… inadequate. Elesa has Nimbasa's best events opening for her with but a wave of her hand, and Nimbasa has many, many events eager to impress their queen.

She may as well have the key to the city- In fact Skyla is quite certain she does have the key to the city- with how it strives to please her. Like disciples worshipping their goddess, the people of Nimbasa gladly open their doors to Elesa. Who is Skyla to a goddess? She doesn't have reserved seats to massive sporting events, she can't nab tickets to the Musical on a dime, she can't stride up to any ride and have them begging her to have a free go.

No-one would adore her the way they adore Elesa.

Elesa treats her like she's a queen herself, mind you, and that's a ray of light in these dejecting thoughts; the supermodel is nothing short of positively doting on the pilot, always eager to let her have near anything she wants. It's a lovely thing for her to do, and Skyla clings to her kindness like a life-line, but what has she ever done to repay her beloved friend's generosity?

Case in point when the situation reverses with Skyla taking Elesa to Mistralton and realising that… well, what is there to do in Mistralton? An airport, but Elesa isn't as fascinated by planes as she is. The Celestial Tower, which offers a nice view but isn't particularly exciting. Walking through the fields, that was nice, but not nearly as invigorating as what Nimbasa offers. Simplistic stuff, nothing compared to what Elesa has in Nimbasa.

So, what can Skyla do to impress Elesa? Planes, fields and a tower? How do they compare to musicals, sporting events, fairgrounds, subways, the eternal admiration of a city, a region, many regions! How can she ever impress her, make it worth her while, make their relationship seem more equal? Elesa would have the world fall into her lap and the best she can do in return is take her to look at planes.

These thoughts have plagued her for a long time, and they plague her even now as she shuffles by the side of the supermodel through the streets of Driftveil, clutching Elesa's hand in hers as she allows the taller woman to lead the way. They've been to the Tournament, and both of them lost, and thus they're taking the time to enjoy the city for a while. At some point, their chatter dissolved into quiet consideration, and Skyla's old concerns took the chance to start nibbling.

Driftveil is a relief, mind you, compared to Nimbasa. There is no stadiums or Musicals or fairgrounds to be spoiled with, no jabbering gossipers wondering why their queen wastes time with a mere pilot, no paparazzi, no tabloids, no judgement. She relishes the quiet times as much as she laments them. There is nothing to further deject her, yet nothing to distract her either.

She must have been lagging behind with these thoughts, however, because now Elesa is slowing down, noting the meagre shuffling of the pilots. She moves to a stop and Skyla is a tad surprised when she stops herself as Elesa's hand holds her back.

"Skyla." Elesa's voice cuts into her reverie, laced with concern, and she turns her head to look at the taller woman, who is studying her with a mixture of bewilderment and worry. "Are you okay? You've been looking downcast all day."

Skyla flinches at the question, both in that she doesn't know what to say and that she doesn't want to ruin her friend's day with her simple petty little grievances. Elesa deserves better than being laden with petty concerns over likely insignificant matters. But still, she just wants to vent, vent like the gigantic fans in her gym in a gigantic burst and just… urgh, she didn't know.

She can fly her plane through a storm, but the idea of opening up to her best friend over one of her most persistent doubts? Terrifying.

But Elesa is onto her; the model has always been able to read her well, and she can see that there's something more than a more conventional hesitance to her friend's silence. Narrowing her eyes a tad, she asks: "Skyla, what's wrong?

There's no escaping her sharp tone, both defensive and demanding of her. Elesa does not tolerate any sadness she suffers, which is quite sweet but also quite intimidating in what she will not rest until Skyla reveals that which upsets her. But then, Skyla revealing what upset her might upset her more. She doesn't know, she really doesn't know, but maybe she should get to knowing.

She shudders a little, before finally replying: "It's something that's…. I dunno. Can… can I talk to you somewhere a bit more private?"

"Of course."

They take their walk towards a more secluded area of the city, down by the water's edge, and settle down on one of the benches. It's funny being able to walk around and not see any fans or paparazzi hounding them- Well, hounding Elesa. Clay does not tolerate such behaviours in his city, and no-one would dare challenge him. It's relieving though; at least Skyla can keep this between them.

Elesa sits upright, hands on her lap and eyes intense on her as she wait for the pilot to speak.

"Okay, um…" She manages to say. "I've been kind of having a… a problem, I guess. It, it might sound a bit stupid, but I…"

Elesa gently lays a hand on her shoulder, coercing the pilot to look at her, and she murmurs: "I won't think it's stupid. Say whatever you need to."

"Okay… okay, um…"

She takes a deep breath. If she's ever going to do it, she may as well do it now.

"Do you ever see the way they look at you? The way they go out of their way to make sure you're happy?" Skyla says softly, and Elesa tilts her head slightly in bewilderment. Seeing this, the pilot continues: "The people of Nimbasa. The people, well, everywhere really. You're like a hero to them, like a queen I guess. They adore you, they think you're the best. They've got nothing but love for you."

Elesa understands, Skyla can see it in her eyes, but she doesn't respond, also understanding that Skyla has more to vent. The pilot breathes deeply and mutters: "I can live with that. You make dreams come cool and I deliver supplies. Fair enough. But it's just that they…"

She bites her lip, painfully aware that she's flushing in embarrassment, painfully aware that there's a trace of tears in her eyes with what she's unloading right now, but there is also the rush building up in her, the need to get this out now, now before she loses her cool.

"It's just that sometimes I feel so… so inadequate. People see me standing next to you, and they, they wonder why you'd even bother with me. They'll gossip about it, read the tabloids about it, and they make me wonder if they're right. If I'm worth all the good things you do for me. You take me everywhere in Nimbasa, let me have all the fun I could want, show me the time of my life, and I... I don't have anything to give back to you."

Elesa seems a tad shocked at her statement on the tabloids; she's never been one to bother with them herself, and the idea that they've been instigating these thoughts in her beloved friend is an ominous one. On absorbing this, she nods slowly, stating: "I see."

There's a cold anger flashing in her eyes, Skyla can see, and a part of her feels a touch of relief that perhaps Elesa's wrath will dissuade such cruelty in the future. Nevertheless, the last of her dejection rises up and she manages to spit it out

"It's dumb, I know." Skyla mutters. "You're my best friend. You're only being good to me. But I… I don't know. I just wonder if I'm good enough to deserve it."

So there it is. It's out now. She's finally done it, finally had it in herself to actually face her fears and tell Elesa her deepest worry.

There is quiet for a moment, as she awkwardly curls in on herself whilst the supermodel contemplates everything she's told her. Though one fear is out, another worries on how Elesa will react. She has hope, she has hope that Elesa doesn't see her as an eternal shadow, and yet she worries that Elesa will see the fruitlessness in continually entertaining a simple pilot far below her status. Skyla shudders and prays-

Elesa gives a soft chuckle and it surprises her out of her worrying. More surprising yet is when the model laces her arms around her and pulls her close to her, torso to torso as her hands move up to cup the pilot's face, tilting it so sky-blue eyes, widening in surprise, gaze into the darker and affectionate blue of the models. Skyla had not expected this closeness, this sudden intimacy, and she shakes in Elesa's grip as she waits for what comes next.

Elesa moves in a little, the tips of their noses brushing, and she murmurs: "I won't lie; to have what I have is quite enjoyable. Cheering crowds, flashing lights, exciting events, all very entertaining. But it's not everything. In fact, there are times when it may well be nothing."

Skyla hesitates, because she's honestly surprised. Elesa smiles at that and states, quite firmly and quite passionately: "Don't you ever worry about repaying me or anything like that. Don't you let that get to you. You've already repaid me, repaid me a thousand times over. Can you guess how?"

Skyla dares to hope, dares to dream, yet lacks the courage and voice it and thus squeaks: "How?"

"Because you're there to share it with me. You're there to make it special to me. I see you, Skyla, with lights in your eyes and music in your heart, see you laughing and smiling, and everything is just so much more dazzling. You see what I mean? You see the sunset a thousand times by yourself, you forget the majesty, but when you see it with someone next to you, somehow it gets its magic back."

Elesa gives a chuckle then, perhaps amused at herself, or at Skyla's stunned expression: "Maybe I'm being cliché, maybe sappy. But really, what's the world to me without you next to me? They say I'm a queen, but even queens need their crowns, and even I need my Skyla."

The model is so close that her beautiful face and gleaming eyes and wonderful smile encompasses her vision. Struck by amazement in both awe and acceptance, the pilot barely whispers: "R-Really?"

Elesa smirks: "Really really."

And then she makes them closer with her lips on hers.


End file.
